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Tag: Justice Ademola

  • Justice Ademola, others seek dismissal of charges

    Justice Ademola, others seek dismissal of charges

    •Court to rule April 5 

    Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, his wife, Olabowale and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Joe Agi, have faulted the case of the prosecution in their trial.

    They asked a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to dismiss the charge brought against them by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation.

    Arguing their no-case submission yesterday, the three, who are being tried on an 18-count charge in which they are accused of, among others, of accepting gratification and illegal possession of firearms, argued that the prosecution was unable to establish a prima facie case against them

    The prosecution, led by Segun Jegede, closed its case on February 21 this year after calling16 witnesses and tendering some documents as exhibits. Rather than conduct their defence, the defendants chose to make a no-case submission.

    Adopting his client’s no-case submission yesterday, Justice Ademola’s lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) said: “We urge my lord to respectfully hold that the prosecution did not establish a prima facie case to warrant the first defendant (Justice Ademola) to enter his defence.”

    He noted that the testimony of the prosecution’s main witness – an operative of the Department of State Service (DSS), Babatunde Adepoju – who investigated the case, revealed that the N30 million paid by Agi into Justice Ademola’s wife’s account could not have been meant for gratification to induce the judge.

    Ikpeazu said by the provision of Section 17(1) (b) of the Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act, under which the defendants were charged for the offence of gratification, the prosecution was required to prove that the N30 million and the car were not just “gifts or considerations,” but that they constituted “an inducement or reward” for a particular act of the judge.

    He added: “As far as this case is concerned, the prosecution has not made out a case that the N30 million was received in order to influence the first defendant. There is no link. As far as there is no link, there is no reason why the first defendant should proceed to enter his defence.”

    Ikpeazu said the same principle applied to the N8.5 million car, which Agi was said to have bought for the judge’s son.

    He argued that the charges relating to illegal possession of firearms could not stand in the light of the licences for the two guns, which were recovered from Justice Ademola’s house during the DSS raid, having been tendered.

    Ikpeazu said since the testimony of PW16 indicating that the two licences covering years 2016 to 2018 were “current” and the failure of the prosecution to call Justice Mohammed as a witness, there was no further explanation left to be made by Justice Ademola and so he (Justice Ademola) could not be held liable for being in illegal possession of firearms.

    Lawyer to the judge’s wife, Robert Clarke (SAN), argued that the prosecution failed to produce any evidence before the court to prove that the N30 million was given to Mrs. Ademola to influence Justice Ademola’s judicial functions.

    “No iota of evidence was brought before your lordship to show that the money was meant for inducement. The investigative officer (PW16) said he never investigated the second defendant.  He said what drew his attention was the money transferred by the third defendant (Agi) to the second defendant (Olubowale).

    “As far as that Count 2 is concerned, nothing has been brought before your lordship to warrant us to give an answer. In her statement, she said she used the money to pay for the event of her daughter’s wedding.

    “They (the prosecution) have not laid any evidence of fraud or corruption to warrant us to answer. She (Olubowale) said in her statement that she had never transferred any money to the first defendant,” Clarke said.

    Agi’s lawyer Jeph Njikonye argued that the counts against his client were incompetent.

    He said: “There are two essential ingredients for there to be a valid charge (of gratification) under section 17(1) (b) of the Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act. The first element is that the person charged agrees to give or offers to give a gift – that is a mandatory element.

    “The second element is that such gift must be a reward for doing or fore-bearing to do something. For there to be a valid charge, these essential elements must be present in a charge,” he said.

    Jegede argued that the Supreme Court has held that a prima facie case must be distinguished from prove of guilt.

    He said all that was needed at this stage of the trial was for a link to be established between the evidence led and the charge filed against the defendants.

    Jegede said Agi, in his extra-judicial statement, showed that he told Justice Ademola about the N30 million and was instructed to pay the money into Mrs. Ademola’s account. He said was the link necessary for a prima facie case to be established.

    The prosecution lawyer said even though there was no evidence to show that Mrs. Ademola transferred the money to Justice Ademola, the money was jointly used for their daughter’s wedding.

    He urged the court to dismiss the no-case submissions.

    Justice Jude Okeke adjourned to April 5 for ruling.

  • N.5m was a gift to Justice Ademola- Buhari’s lawyer

    N.5m was a gift to Justice Ademola- Buhari’s lawyer

    A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Kola Awodein, has described as “malicious, utterly ridiculous, and revolting’’ the allegation that he gave Justice Niyi Ademola N500,000 at the behest of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Justice Ademola of the Federal High Court who is currently standing trial for alleged corruption.

    Awodein was alleged to have given the said amount during the contrived certificate issue affecting the then presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    However, in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, Awodein dismissed the allegation, saying that the President was in no way linked with Justice Ademola at all.

    He said: “Nigerians know that President Buhari challenged the elections of 2003, 2007, and 2011, up to the Supreme Court, and not once was he named as trying to compromise any Judge, though some of them were his schoolmates, or contemporary, at one time or the other.

    “It is in keeping with the President’s time-tested reputation as a man of truth and integrity. Any attempt to sully that reputation is bound to fail, inexorably.’’

    The statement read:”I am constrained to make in absolute good faith , in good conscience and in the interest of justice and fair play the following very short statement on account of the distorted news story currently being peddled as affecting the person of Mr President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and my good and very noble self.

    “The very simple and plain facts are as follows:

    “I have known as a friend and for well over 35 years Mr. Justice Niyi Ademola, a notorious fact known to majority of lawyers who have practiced especially in Lagos for over that same period more or less and also to so many other professionals of other disciplines and other prominent and not so prominent Nigerians.

    “It is a fact that the sum of money mentioned was personally paid by me as a friend to Mr. Justice Ademola as a personal gift, as our custom well recognizes and demands, on the occasion of his daughter’s High Society wedding solemnized at the Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, Lagos, on the 9th of May 2015, which I attended in person.

    “I was fully convinced then, as I remain today, that I could do no less as a friend of longstanding to fairly reasonably support him on that memorable occasion of his daughter’s wedding.

    “Anyone and everyone who knows me would readily and unquestionably testify that I am and have always been a man of impeccable integrity on and off the Courts and that such a record speaks always loudly for itself.

    “I would conclude by stating categorically and without any equivocation that ANY link whatsoever with Mr. President, or any court case or cases, of my personal gift from my personal resources delivered to Justice Niyi Ademola by myself on that occasion or any suggestion whatsoever that it was anything but such a gift or that it ever came from Mr. President or at his instance or that I was acting, under any circumstances, on his behalf is most malicious, utterly ridiculous and in very very poor and revolting taste and most undeserving of any further comments.”(NAN)

  • Prosecution closes case in Justice Ademola’s trial

    Prosecution closes case in Justice Ademola’s trial

    The prosecution in the trial of Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court and two others closed its case on Tuesday after calling 19 witnesses in all.

    The defendants – Justice Ademola, his wife, Olabowale and a lawyer, Joe Agi (SAN) – have however indicated their intention to make a no-case submission.

    The defence team continued its cross-examination of the 16th prosecution witness, Babatunde Adepoju, on Tuesday.

    Adepoju, an operative of the Department of State Services (DSS), who in his examination in chief, claimed he was one of those that investigated the case, said there was no evidence that anybody else claim to own the huge fund found in the judge’s house.

    The DSS official also said he could not conclude that the N30 million allegedly paid into the judge’s wife’s account by Agi was not a bribe.

    Adepoju  said Agi told him during interrogation that two of his clients contributed the N30 million towards the judge’s daughter’s wedding.

    “Agi said a lawyer in the legal team of President Muhammadu Buhari, while Justice Ademola was hearing the suit about Buhari’s certificate, Kola Awodein (SAN), also contributed N500,000 towards the judge’s daughter’s wedding,” the witness said.

    Adepoju said it was the practice in Nigeria for friends and well-wishers to shower gifts on anyone doing wedding.

     

  • Why we investigated Justice Ademola, by DSS official

    Why we investigated Justice Ademola, by DSS official

    An official of the Department of State Services (DSS), Babatunde Adepoju told a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) yesterday the agency’s investigation of Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court was informed by allegations of wrongdoing.
    Adepoju said the intelligence in his brief included allegations Justice Ademola received bribes from former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki and Biafra agitator, Nnamdi Kanu to grant them bail.
    The DSS operative said he was directed on October 9 to investigate allegations of bribery involving Justice Ademola.
    Adepoju, who testified as a prosecution witness in the trial of Justice Ademola, his wife, Olabowale and a lawyer, Joe Agi (SAN), said he was also directed to investigate Jenkins Gwede, who wrote a petition against Justice Ademola at the National Judicial Council (NJC), alleging that the judge collected $200,000 to discharge an earlier garnishee order granted in his favour.
    Led in evidence by lead prosecution lawyer, Segun Jegede, the witness told the court he was equally directed to investigate an allegation that Justice Ademola influenced the appointment of his wife as the head of Service of Lagos State through his close relationship with former Lagos Governor, Bola Tinubu and his position as a Federal High Court judge.
    The witness confirmed Justice Ademola denied all the allegations.
    Adepoju said upon investigation, there was no evidence to prove Justice Ademola influenced the appointment of his wife as HOS of Lagos State.
    The witness said there was equally no evidence to support Jenkins’ allegations.
    Adepoju said Justice Ademola told him Jenkins apologised to him, two days after submitting the petition to the NJC, saying that he was misinformed by lawyers to the Delta State government.
    The witness added that Justice Ademola told him he (Jenkins) swore to an affidavit in which he withdrew the petition.
    He said he did not also find evidence to prove Justice Ademola collected bribe to grant bail to Sambo Dasuki or Nnamdi Kanu. “They were hearsays”, he said.
    Adepoju said investigation also supported Justice Ademola’s claim the prosecution, in the Dasuki case, did not oppose Dasuki’s bail application.
    Adepoju said Agi made a statement to the DSS, in which he said the N30 million he was accused of paying into the account of Mrs. Ademola was at the instance of two of his clients: Ken Hubert and Bassey Bassey who instructed him to donate $150,000 in support of the Ademolas’ daughter’s wedding.
    He said when they contacted the two individuals named by Agi, they confirmed instructing the donation.
    The witness said investigation also showed Justice Ademola granted three garnishee orders in excess of $636 million, $637 million and $3.1 billion in favour of a client of Joe Agi around the period Joe Agi paid N30 million in three tranches of N10 million each into the accounts of Mrs. Ademola.
    He said Justice Ademola told him during interrogation some of the money recovered from his residence were conversion of estacodes he got and withdrawals from his accounts for payment to a construction company, Dadks Concept carrying out a construction at one of his property at 55 Oduduwa Crescent, Lagos.
    Under cross examination, Adepoju said he was aware estacodes were given in foreign currencies, adding that he also was aware that spending or not spending the estacodes remains the business of the receiver of such estacodes.
    Adepoju said, from available records, there are other sources of income for Justice Ademola.
    The witness said he came across a lodgement of $520,000 by Olabode Johnson of Johnson & Johnson partners in the statement of account of Justice Ademola.
    “From the record provided by the firm, it was a large sum shared to three brothers with Justice Ademola. From Johnson & Johnson record, the money was from sale of property belonging to Justice Ademola and two other brothers,” he said.
    Further hearing resumes today.

  • What Justice Ademola earns, official tells court

    What Justice Ademola earns, official tells court

    An account official of the Federal High Court yesterday shed light into the earning of federal judges.

    He said a judge goes home with about N833,638.76 monthly made up of N528,638.76 basic salary and N305,000 welfare allowance.

    The Chief Accountant of the Federal High Court, Mr. Awoyemi Adisa,  stated this while testifying at the resumed hearing of the trial of Justice Adeniyi Ademola, his wife Olabowale and a lawyer, Joe Agi (SAN), at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama, Abuja.

    He gave a breakdown of  other allowances due to a federal judge as including furniture allowance paid every four years, annual leave allowance, annual estacode for medical check-up abroad and car advance of about N7 million  which the judges are to pay back in 60 months.

    Adisa said he was unable to provide the total amount a judge was entitled to because he had never had cause to do the calculation.

    “Apart from salaries and emoluments, the first defendant (Justice Ademola) is paid other allowances. Honourable judges of the Federal High Court are paid furniture allowance once in four years to the tune of N5,514,280.

    “Aside that, they are entitled to N305,000 monthly welfare allowance. Also they are entitled to allowances for overseas medical check-up once in a year. The estacode allowance is paid. The figure for overseas medical check-up may not be the same from year to year because of fluctuation of dollars.

    “For last year, they were paid air fare to the tune of N1.6m. On this record, the estacode is not stated. But the estacode was paid to them in dollars. Because of the volatility of the exchange rate, the money available could not cater for what was on the budget, so we applied to the Central Bank of Nigeria for dollars after providing them with the travelling documents of the judges.

    “If I can remember, they (the judges were paid $6,300 as estacode. They are also entitled to leave allowance which is N180,474 once in a year. There are some seminars they attend and allowances as well air fare are paid to cover the seminars.

    “To my knowledge, all they are paid is what is contained in this document. I don’t have the total figure of what goes to the judges because I have not totalled them,” he said.

    When asked why the documents he brought to court only contained the judge’s earnings from 2009 to 2016, leaving out 2004 to 2008, the witness said: “Within the short period of time given to us to produce the documents this is what we could readily provide. Prior to 2009, the salaries and emoluments documents were prepared manually.

    “It is noteworthy to mention that the court moved its headquarters from Lagos to Abuja in 2011. The manual records of salaries and emoluments were left behind in Lagos.”

    Under cross-examination, he added that judges are paid car advance of N7,201,000 payable back for 60 months.

    He said not only was Justice Ademola from a well-known family, being a grandson of a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, he was still entitled to benefit from the assets owned by his late grandfather.

    Another prosecution witness, a ballistician with the Police, Taminu Jeremiah, gave evidence in relation to the two Avar Magnum Pump Action guns allegedly recovered from Justice Ademola’s Abuja home during a raid by men of the Department of State Services (DSS).

     An Assistant Superintendent of Police, Jeremiah, who said he was the only surviving ballistician in the police, said the guns fell into the category of prohibited guns for which only the President could issue its licence to individuals. The trial continues today.

     

  • Court official reveals judges’ earnings

    An account official with the Federal High Court on Thursday shed light into the earning of judges of the court.

    He said a judge goes home with N833, 638.76 monthly – N528, 638.76 basic and N305, 000 welfare allowance.

    The court official, Awoyemi Adisa, the Chief Accountant of the Federal High Court, disclosed this while testifying at the resumed trial of Justice Adeniyi Ademola (of the Federal High Court), his wife, Olabowale and a lawyer, Joe Agi (SAN), at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama, Abuja.

    He identified other allowances due to a judge of the Federal High Court to include furniture allowance paid every four years, annual leave allowance, annual estacode for medical check-up abroad and car advance of about N7m which the judges were meant to pay back in 60 months (five years).

    Adisa said he was unable to provide the total amount which a judge of the Federal High Court was entitled to because he had never had cause to do the sum.

    “Apart from salaries and emoluments, the first defendant (Justice Ademola) is paid other allowances. Honourable judges of the Federal High Court are paid furniture allowance once in four years to the tune of N5,514,280.

    “Aside that, they are entitled to N305,000 monthly welfare allowance. Also they are entitled to allowances for overseas medical check-up once in a year. The estacodes allowances are also paid. The figure for overseas medical check-up may not be the same from year to year because of fluctuation of dollars.

    “For last year, they were paid air fare to the tune of N1.6m. On this record, the estacode is not static. But the estacode was paid to them in dollars. Because of the volatility of the exchange rate, the money available could not cater for what was on the budget, so we applied to the Central Bank of Nigeria for dollars after providing them with the travelling documents of the judges.

    “If I can remember, they (the judges were paid $6,300 as estacode. They are also entitled to leave allowance which is N180,474 once in a year. There are some seminars they attend and allowances as well air fare are paid to cover the seminars.

    “To my knowledge, all they are paid is what is contained in this document. I don’t have the total figure of what goes to the judges because I have not totaled them before,” he said.

     

  • Ex-director, NJC’s scribe to testify in Justice Ademola’s trial

    Ex-director, NJC’s scribe to testify in Justice Ademola’s trial

    A former Director, Pension Accounts, Office the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Sani Shaibu Teidi, who was arraigned before Justice Adeniyi Ademola at the Federal High Court, Abuja, in 2013, the Executive Secretary of the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court are to testify for the prosecution in the trial of the judge and two others.

    They were listed among the 14 witnesses that the prosecution plans to call in the trial slated for January 16 before Justice Jude Okeke of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama, Abuja.

    Teidi’s wife, Fatimah, one of his associates, Prince Faboro and five officials of GTB Plc and Zenith Bank Plc are also listed as prosecution witnesses in court documents sighted by The Nation in Abuja on Wednesday.

    According to the court documents, Teidi, his wife and Faboro are expected to give evidence in support of the charge against Justice Ademola that he (the judge) allegedly attempted to obtain N25m gratification from Teidi while he (Teidi) was being tried by the judge in 2013.

    Teidi, now being tried by another judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja, over his alleged involvement in a pension scam, had raised similar allegation against Justice Ademola in a petition earlier written by his wife to the NJC.

     

  • FG to include Agi in charges against Justice Ademola, wife

    FG to include Agi in charges against Justice Ademola, wife

    The prosecution team handling the corruption case against Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court and his wife, Olabowale, is planning to charge a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Joe Agi, with the couple.

    Agi is named in the 11-count charge against Justice Ademola and his wife, as being the source of various gratifications to the judge, some of which were allegedly received through the judge’s wife’s bank account.

    Lead prosecution lawyer, Segun Jegede, told a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama on Monday that there was plan to amend the charge to include Agi as the 3rd defendant.

    In count one of the original charge, they were said to have conspired between March 11 and 24, 2015, to receive gratification from Messrs Joe Agi and Associates through their accounts 206/174191/2/0 and 201/110160/1/0 domiciled at GTB Plc and committed an offence contrary to Section 26(1)(c) of the Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act 2000.

    Mrs. Ademola alone is accused in counts two, three and four of receiving N10m gratification thrice from Messrs Joe Agi and Associates through her GTB account on behalf of her husband between March 11 and 24, 2015, an offence contrary to Section 8(1) (a) of Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act 2000.

    Justice Ademola in count eight is accused of receiving gratification of a BMW saloon 320i car, valued at N8m from Messrs Joe Agi and Associates through his son, Ademide Ademola, an act contrary to Section 8(1)(a) of the Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act, 2000.

     

  • Justice Ademola, wife deny corruption charges

    Justice Ademola, wife deny corruption charges

    Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court and his wife, Olabowale, were arraigned yesterday before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama, Abuja.
    They were arraigned on an 11-count charge of conspiracy and receipt of gratification, to which they pleaded not guilty.
    Dressed in a navy blue suit and a sky blue shirt, Justice Ademola and his wife (who was dressed in a navy blue skirt and a blue shirt with a flowery pattern), arrived the courtroom shortly before 9am.
    The proceedings began around 9.30am when the case was called, and Justice Ademola and his wife were ushered into the dock.
    They were later allowed to sit down. The husband sat inside the dock, his wife just outside? the dock because it was not spacious enough to accommodate both of them.
    They pleaded not guilty to each of the 11 counts when they were read out by an official of the court.
    Justice Ademola’s lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), and Robert Clarke (SAN), who represented the wife, informed the court that they had filed bail applications for the defendants
    Prosecution lawyer Segun Jegede said he was not opposing the bail applictions, but urged the presiding judge to impose terms and conditions that would make the defendants attend their trial.
    Jegede said: “In principle, we are not objecting to the applications. Given the circumstances of this case, the standing of the defendants, and the rapidly approaching Christmas.
    “However, in doing that, I will apply that the court imposes conditions that will make the defendants to attend trial.
    “They must be made to give undertaking that they will attend trial. They must not interfere with witnesses and they must not destroy evidence,” Jegede said.
    He urged the court to compel the defendants to deposit their passports and other travel documents with the court registrar.
    Ikpeazu and Clarke objected, and urged the court not to impose bail conditions that were in excess of the bail conditions granted the defendants by the Department of State Services (DSS) after their arrest on October 8.
    Ruling, Justice Jude Okeke granted bail to the defendants at N50m each and on self-recognisance.
    By the condition of the bail, Justice Ademola and his wife are only required to endorse a bond of N50m each. They are not required to produce sureties to stand for their release.
    Justice Okeke adjourned to January 18 for the prosecution to open its case.
    Immediately the judge adjourned the case and rose briefly, Justice Ademola and his wife wasted no time in exiting the courtroom.
    To avoid photographers, who had stationed themselves directly outside the main entrance to the courtroom, Justice Ademola and his wife were assisted out of the courtroom by court officials, through a back door.
    In the 11-count charge, marked CR/21/2016, filed on December 1, 2016, the couple is accused, in count one, of conspiring, between March 11 and 24, 2015, to receive gratification from Messrs Joe Agi and Associates through their accounts marked: 206/174191/2/0 and 201/110160/1/0 domiciled at GTBank Plc an offence contrary to Section 26(1)(c) of the Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Act 2000.
    The wife is accused in counts two, three, four of receiving N10m gratification three times, from Messrs Joe Agi and Associates, through her GTBank account on behalf of her husband between March 11 and 24, 2015 – an offence contrary to Section 8(1)(a) of Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act 2000.
    Justice Ademola is accused, in counts five and six of “dealing with property subject matter of an offence,” by transferring N85m and N90m consecutively on February 24, 2014, through his account marked: 286/174191/2/0 in GTBank to Franco Dan Parker, “which forms the proceeds of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act 2000.
    The judge is accused, in count seven, of attempting, on February 21, 2014, to obtain gratification of N25m from Sani Shaibu Teidi “as a motive for showing favour in the exercise of your official functions, contrary to Section 118(b) of the Penal Code Act.
    He is, in count eight, accused of receiving gratification of “a BMW saloon 320i, valued at N8m from Joe Odey Agi, through his son, Ademide Ademola – an act contrary to Section 8(1)(a) of the Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act, 2000.
    In count nine, 10 and 11, the judge is accused of illegally possessing firearms and ammunition (one Avar Magnum 608, Avar Magnum 6284) and 35 rounds of live ammunition (catridges) without valid licences, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3 of the Robbery and Firearms (Special provisions) Act 2004.

  • Justice Ademola, wife deny corruption charges

    Justice Ademola, wife deny corruption charges

    •Get bail on self recognition, to sign N50m bond each     •Trial opens Jan 18

    Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court and his wife, Olabowale were arraigned yesterday before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama.
    They were arraigned on an 11-count charge of conspiracy and receipt of gratification, to which they pleaded not guilty.
    Dressed in a navy blue suit and a sky blue shirt, Justice Ademola and his wife (who was dressed in a navy blue skirt and blue shirt with flowery pattern), arrived the courtroom shortly before 9am.
    Court proceedings began around 9.30am when the case was called, and Justice Ademola and his wife were ushered into the dock.
    They were later allowed to sit down. The husband sat inside the dock, his wife just outside? the dock because it was not spacious enough to accommodate both of them.
    They pleaded not guilty to each of the 11 counts when they were read out by an official of the court.
    Justice Ademola’s lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), ?and Robert Clarke (SAN), who represented the wife, informed the court that they had filed bail applications for the defendants
    Prosecution lawyer Segun Jegede said he was not opposing the bail applictions, but urged the presiding judge to impose terms and conditions that would make the defendants attend their trial.
    Jegede said: “In principle, we are not objecting to the applications. Given the circumstances of this case, the standing of the defendants, and the rapidly approaching Christmas.
    “However, in doing that, I will apply that the court imposes condition that will make the defendants to attend trial.
    “They must be made to give undertaking that they will attend trial. They must not interfere with witnesses and they must not destroy evidence,” Jegede said.
    He urged the court ?to compel the defendants to deposit their passports and other travel documents with the registrar of the court.
    Ikpeazu and Clarke objected, and urged the court ?not to impose bail conditions that were in excess of the bail conditions granted the defendants by the Department of State Services (DSS) after their arrest on October 8.
    Ruling, Justice Jude Okeke granted bail to the defendants at N50m each and on self-recognisance.
    By the condition of the bail, Justice Ademola and his wife are only required to endorse a bond of N50m each. They are not required to produce sureties to stand for their release.
    Justice Okeke later adjourned to January 18, next year for the prosecution to open its case.
    Immediately the judge adjourned the case and rose briefly, Justice Ademola and his wife wasted no time in exiting the courtroom.
    To avoid photographers, who had stationed themselves directly outside the main entrance to the courtroom, Justice Ademola and his wife were assisted out of the courtroom by court officials, through a back door.
    In the 11-count charge, marked CR/21/2016, filed on December 1, 2016, the couple is accused, in count one, of conspiring, between March 11 and 24, 2015, to receive gratification from Messrs Joe Agi and Associates through their accounts marked: 206/174191/2/0 and 201/110160/1/0 domiciled at GTBank Plc an offence contrary to Section 26(1)(c) of the Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Act 2000.
    The wife is accused in counts two, three, four of receiving N10m gratification three times, from Messrs Joe Agi and Associates, through her GTBank account on behalf of her husband between March 11 and 24, 2015 – an offence contrary to Section 8(1)(a) of Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act 2000.
    Justice Ademola is accused, in counts five and six of “dealing with property subject matter of an offence,” by transferring N85m and N90m consecutively on February 24, 2014, through his account marked: 286/174191/2/0 in GTBank to Franco Dan Parker, “which forms the proceeds of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act 2000.
    The judge is accused, in count seven, of attempting, on February 21, 2014, to obtain gratification of N25m from Sani Shaibu Teidi “as a motive for showing favour in the exercise of your official functions, contrary to Section 118(b) of the Penal Code Act.
    He is, in count eight, accused of receiving gratification of “a BMW saloon 320i, valued at N8m from Joe Odey Agi, through his son, Ademide Ademola – an act contrary to Section 8(1)(a) of the Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act, 2000.
    In count nine, 10 and 11, the judge is accused of illegally possessing firearms and ammunition (one Avar Magnum 608, Avar Magnum 6284) and 35 rounds of live ammunition (catridges) without valid licences, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3 of the Robbery and Firearms (Special provisions) Act 2004.